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Dún Laoghaire Harbour Facilities for Cruiseships to Be Subject of Court Appeal

5th January 2017

Save our Seafront claims November’s decision by An Bord Pleanála restricted the size of ships (250m long) but left open the possibility of Dún Laoghaire Harbour being usurped by cruise liners. Afloat adds the above computer generated image is of a giant cruiseship of the 'Freedom' class (338m long) berthed within the harbour. Photo: DLHCo

#CruiseBerth - The Irish Times writes that a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála’s decision to approve facilities for cruiseships in Dún Laoghaire Harbour will be sought in the High Court on Thursday.

The board granted permission to Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company for an €18 million development to build a new pier and dredge a navigation channel through the harbour mouth, as well as developing a turning circle outside the harbour. But the board ruled the size of ships permitted to enter the harbour should be restricted to 250m in length, rather than the 340m limit sought by the company.

The chairman of Save Our Seafront, local TD Richard Boyd Barrett of the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, said the development approved by the board could still result in a significant loss of amenity to existing harbour users. He said the board’s decision did not properly take into account the environmental implications of dredging and other aspects of the plan.

Save our Seafront is to ask the court to grant a judicial review of the decision on the basis of two points.

To read more including an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of proposed development click here.